good summer award availability popping up
Feb 15, 2026 | 6:38 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: DCA/IAD
Programs: AA EXP; 1W Emerald; HHonors Diamond; Marriott Gold; UA dirt
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good summer award availability popping up
For you award ticket chasers, watch your alerts, there have been a few pretty good award redemptions popping up for summer Europe travel.
Snagged three business class tickets from London to Washington (via Dublin) this morning for 57,500 miles each on Aer Lingus. About $400 in fees per ticket but that is much better than the $800 or $900 in fees from British Airways.
Snagged three business class tickets from London to Washington (via Dublin) this morning for 57,500 miles each on Aer Lingus. About $400 in fees per ticket but that is much better than the $800 or $900 in fees from British Airways.
Feb 15, 2026 | 11:59 pm
#2
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for BRU-DUB-IAD, the fees are ~$82
Feb 16, 2026 | 6:00 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2000
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I had considered going over to the continent to get this, but the time and fees for all the baggge would pretty much have wiped out most of the benefit.
Feb 16, 2026 | 6:57 am
#4
Join Date: May 2015
Location: DCA
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP, DL PM, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 6,968
AA just recently started showing Aer Lingus awards online.
I think a lot of AA flyers are going to be pleasantly surprised about the ease of Dublin airport vs LHR (especially with preclearance).
I think a lot of AA flyers are going to be pleasantly surprised about the ease of Dublin airport vs LHR (especially with preclearance).
Feb 16, 2026 | 8:30 am
#5
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: SFO
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Feb 16, 2026 | 8:58 am
#6
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The Aer Lingus 321LRs are an interesting J cabin config. If you're flying solo, the throne seats in alternating rows are quite spacious with lots of surface and storage space. Even with a companion we took the throne seats across the aisle from each other. Nice ride.
Feb 16, 2026 | 9:55 am
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2000
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That said, how much is it worth to you to be in the Cathay Lounge versus being able to pre-clear in DUB and fly nonstop to BOS, IND, BNA, ORD, WAS, RDU, PIT, CLE, or BDL (not to mention other cities in the midwest and west coast).
Feb 16, 2026 | 10:19 am
#9
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: NYC
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The Dublin Preclearance facility is a big, big plus, and the throne seats on the trans-Atlantic services are (imho) at least as good, if not better, than most of the competition. The major potential downside of Dublin is getting there from elsewhere in Europe; Aer Lingus takes pride in running a low-cost bare-bones amenity free short-haul service that could make US domestic services appear downright luxurious in comparison. An A320 with no power plugs, no in-flight wifi, no leg-room, and no free drinking water can be fine for an hour or so, but beyond that, the LCC aspirations can, imo, become quite annoying.
Feb 16, 2026 | 10:24 am
#10
Join Date: Jun 2008
Programs: AA EXP, National EE
Posts: 175
Feb 17, 2026 | 11:28 am
#12
Join Date: Oct 2021
Location: SFO
Programs: American Airlines Executive Platinum, Hyatt Discoverist
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As always, getting a good itinerary will take a bit of effort, but I was able to book PHL-CLT-MUC and confirm two SWUs in July for my outbound, and then grab LJU-HEL-LHR-PHL in August, all in business, for 57.5k miles. On balance, this was a much easier planning process than last summer, where it took me several months to find confirmable SWU space from ORD-BCN (which was totally inconvenient, given we were starting our trip in Helsinki) and then CPH-PHL.
Feb 17, 2026 | 1:36 pm
#13
Join Date: Jun 2013
Programs: AA Plat Pro, ex DL Plat, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Plat, IHG Plat
Posts: 1,446
I'm messing around with itineraries right now and as long as you are flexible on dates and connecting airports there is 57.5k availability all over the continent all summer, and if you're okay with flying in the back there is availability at 30k all over the place on a huge number of dates.
Feb 17, 2026 | 2:56 pm
#14
Join Date: Mar 2024
Location: DFW
Programs: AA Executive Platinum (OW Emerald)
Posts: 1,260
51st and Green lounge is down until April so those with delicate constitutions will have to make do with hanging with the commonfolk. I have no experience of the Aer Lingus or the #1 Lounge in T2. But it sure isn't the Cathay lounge in T3.
That said, how much is it worth to you to be in the Cathay Lounge versus being able to pre-clear in DUB and fly nonstop to BOS, IND, BNA, ORD, WAS, RDU, PIT, CLE, or BDL (not to mention other cities in the midwest and west coast).
That said, how much is it worth to you to be in the Cathay Lounge versus being able to pre-clear in DUB and fly nonstop to BOS, IND, BNA, ORD, WAS, RDU, PIT, CLE, or BDL (not to mention other cities in the midwest and west coast).
Remember the J is ONLY from DUB TALT, the inter-Europe portion is in a rather snug Y that you'll be paying for any seat selection on.
Feb 17, 2026 | 3:13 pm
#15
Join Date: May 2006
Location: SAN
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Posts: 7,000
Couple of notes. The A330 routes are in those aging EI J seats, but a throne seat is pretty decent otherwise, and you do get free WiFi. The Aer Lingus Lounge is pretty dire...long and thin, the food offering are guff and the seating can quickly get crowded.
Remember the J is ONLY from DUB TALT, the inter-Europe portion is in a rather snug Y that you'll be paying for any seat selection on.
Remember the J is ONLY from DUB TALT, the inter-Europe portion is in a rather snug Y that you'll be paying for any seat selection on.
This is definitely a case of getting what you pay for.